The Living Word Of God
Or
The Word Becoming Flesh
Sunday August 16, 2020
Scripture To Consider:
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he [or she] will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’”
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him [or her] up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He [or she] who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him [or her].’”
“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he [or she] who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He [or she] who eats this bread will live forever.” These things Jesus said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. John 6.51-59
Something To Consider:
Jewish law given by God Himself to Moses, clearly called for the abstaining from eating anything with blood. In Leviticus 3.17, we read; “This shall be a perpetual statute [commandment] throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall neither eat fat nor blood.” This commandment was reinforced in Leviticus 7.26; “Moreover, you shall not eat any blood in any of your dwellings, whether of bird or beast.”
Peter, from a New testament perspective in Acts 15.20, was speaking of Gentile believers being added to the ranks of the church when he wrote; “But that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.” And so, from both the Old and New Testaments we are to be convinced that Jesus was not and is not advocating the literal eating and of His flesh and drinking of His blood.
Something Else To Consider:
So, what is it that Jesus is making reference to in this text? Some are convinced that Jesus is speaking futuristically about communion. But John makes no reference to that here or elsewhere in his writing. John does declare; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And in verse 14 of John chapter 1, we are also told by John; “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
In Leviticus 17.14, God revealed that the life of the flesh is in the blood, which is confirmed by modern day medical research. Could it be that as we eat and drink of the Word of God, that we are spiritually consuming the flesh and blood of Jesus who is the Word of God come in the flesh? In other words, as we abide, continue, and or study the Word of God to show ourselves approved unto Him, we are symbolically eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Jesus. And as we do so, we are benefiting by receiving everlasting life in and through Jesus.
This thought is helped by John’s repetitious use of the words of Jesus in John chapter 15 and elsewhere. In John 15.4 Jesus proclaimed, “Abide in Me, and I in you.” And in verse 5 Jesus declared, “He [or she] who abides in Me, and I in him [or her], bears much fruit.” If our goal is to bear much fruit then we must abide in Jesus and in His Word on a continual basis. In verse 7 of John chapter 15, Jesus acknowledged; “If you abide [continue] in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
But what do we have to look forward to if we refuse to abide in Jesus, the living Word of God come in the flesh? In John 15.6 Jesus warned; “If anyone [all-inclusive] does not abide in Me, he [or she] is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them [those who do not abide in Jesus and or the Word of God] and throw them into the fire [hell’s fire], and they are burned.” Jesus ends His discourse on abiding in Him by stating in verse 8; “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
Something More To Consider:
The living Word of God is very precise when it comes to warning humankind of the dangers of not abiding in Jesus and in His Word. Could that be one of the reasons why the majority of individuals in every generation choose rather to not hear the Word of God? In every nation, state, city, and family, there are those who prefer not to hear the Word of God. It is as if they think if they do not listen then they are not responsible for their eternal outcome. According to Jesus each of us have an eternal choice to make concerning our abiding in Christ!
The Word of God is living and it is a powerful discerning agent when we remain open to the hearing of the Word of God. When we choose not to hear the Word of God we simply walk in the darkness of this world and eventually we are consumed by that darkness. And therefore, without our hearing the Word of God, true biblical faith is not established or it is not nurtured, and according to Jesus we wither and die spiritually. But eternal punishment still awaits us if we refuse to abide in Christ.
For all of the above reasons it is a shame that so many churches have made the decision to declare so little of Scripture in their services. It is what the masses require! We are now living in the fulfilment of 2 Timothy 4.3 and the words of warning to young Timothy by Paul. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they [church goers who do not abide in Christ] will heap up [accumulate] for themselves teachers [false teachers].”
Paul continued, by stating; “And they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables [false doctrines of demons]. But you [true believer abiding in Jesus, the Word of God] be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Are we as enduring to the end true believers and abiders in Christ doing the work of an evangelist? Are we fulfilling the work of the ministry by which we have been called and prepared?
Religious leaders, for the most part, understand the biblical truth of the Word of God being a living, powerful, and convicting agent in the faith establishing process. But these same so-called religious leaders also realize the Word of God is convicting. Therefore, many have decided not to follow Jesus as the old hymn instructs us to do. But rather, they have decided to reveal a very small portion and only that which would feed the flesh rather than the spirit.
A Few Final Words:
I have personally experienced an interesting encounter while visiting a mega church satellite campus, as they like to be referred to these days. We went to witness the baptism of a family of three sisters being baptized. As my family was entering the high school where the satellite church was meeting, we were greeted by two men.
Upon their seeing that I was carrying a bible, the older man declared in a humorous manner; “Oh you won’t need that here!” He was speaking of my bible. My response was, “I use it to check the accuracy of what is spoken!” I had visited large churches from time to time and have always been shocked to see so few bibles. And yet, the Word of God, became flesh in the person of Jesus. And, He is alive, powerful, and convicting when necessary!
According to Jesus, “This is the bread which came down from heaven not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He [or she] who eats this bread will live forever.” Are we eating our fair share of the bread of heaven? And if not why not?
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, we ask for further clarification and Your wisdom as we meditate on this Scripture to consider, while abiding in Your Son Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 